


Stained Red

by EmrysTheMerlin



Series: Voltron Lives [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Dads of Marmora (Voltron), F/M, Fem Keith, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Raised by the Blades, one shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-11 02:18:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15305259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmrysTheMerlin/pseuds/EmrysTheMerlin
Summary: Growing up in a war is hard, growing up in the resistance is harder, but letting people in may be the hardest thing Kathy Kogane has ever had to do.Series of One-Shots for my Voltron Lives AU





	1. Small Problems

**Author's Note:**

> Just what it says on the box, a series of Fem Keith One shots that take place in my Voltron Lives AU.

Kolvian sighed in relief as he decoded the message they’d received not ten minutes ago. His sister was coming home, back to base with the information she’d collected from the outer rim of planets, still so unaware of the looming threat of the Empire. But his sister had come away with strategic information, good places to hide more bases, and a surprise. That made him frown slightly. He didn’t like surprises. She would never betray the Blades he knew that, but surprises meant unknown variables, Slav would be better prepared to predict what was going on but the eccentric genius hadn’t been back in contact with any blade in nearly a deca-pheob. But his sister would be landing soon, so he made his way to the hanger. 

It took nearly ten doboshs for her ship to be sighted but she landed quickly and easily, as he would expect from his best pilot. Her ship was covered in red dust particles, she must have passed through a meteor belt to get back here. He stood straight hands behind his back as the doors to the ship opened and the dust cleared. He let himself smile behind his mask as he spotted his sister’s face but his smile slipped into a disbelieving frown as she completely exited the ship. He stared dumbstruck. She wasn’t wearing her normal armor, she was in a light floaty red dress, her hair still up in the regulation braid but it was her belly that drew his attention. It was swollen with child. His sister had come home heavily pregnant. She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. 

“Greetings brother.” 

News of Krolia’s condition spread quickly throughout the base. Ulaz was the first to approach Kolvian regarding it though. The doctor was intelligent, smart enough not to make any snide comments about it at least. Instead he was factual, analytical. 

“Your sister is pregnant. There’s no getting around that, do we think she’s having a halfling?” Kolvian nodded shortly. He knew for a fact that his sister was having a halfling, it was the main reason he’d confined her to quarters, halflings were rarely easy to carry or deliver, often resulting in the death of the mother. That more than anything was why Kolvian was allowing Ulaz to question him now, the doctor might be the only thing that could save his sister and her kit. Ulaz nodded. 

“I’ll need to see her if we’re going to get her through this.” Kolvian paused, he was protective of the last family he had left but Ulaz was right. He nodded and led the doctor to his sister’s room. A brief examination left them with the conclusion that Krolia was farther along than any of them had thought. The baby would be there in maybe a movement. They had almost no time to prepare, but Ulaz didn’t seem too worried. 

“Your sister is strong, stronger than most. She is exceedingly healthy, especially for carrying a halfling. In all honestly it’s the kit I’m worried about.” Kolvian frowned and spoke.

“Why?” He was always direct but worry for his family, which would soon be growing by a member if all went well had reduced him to single syllables. Ulaz sighed. 

“To be honest, we know so little about the father’s species. If the kit is like Regis, with few variations from Galra genes, save some minor outward differences then we won’t have an issue. But if she takes more after her father we won’t know much about her.” Kolvian nodded and handed Ulaz a data pad. 

“This is all the medical data that Krolia collected on the father’s planet. I was hoping to go through it later but you may need it more than I do for now.” Ulaz nodded and took the data pad.

“Thank you leader, this will prove very helpful I have no doubt.” Ulaz made to walk away but Kolvian caught him by the shoulder, having just registered what the doctor had said. 

“She?” Ulaz smiled and nodded. 

“Yes, your sister is having a girl.” Kolvian smiled wide and let Ulaz go back to his work. A girl. Female Galra were rarer than they should be these days, most lived heavily protected in the empire, he and his sister had been raised in the blades. She had always been the fiercest of them, he hoped she always would be. He smiled to himself imagining what her child could do, the universe had better watch out. 

Two nights later he was awoken by a sharp rap at his door, he was one of the few ranking officers who actually had a room to himself, the recruits and Blades slept in shifts in large communal areas. He leapt to his feet and crossed to his door in two quick strides. He opened it, Thace was standing there looking out of breath. 

“The Kit.” Was all he managed to get out before Kolvian was racing down the hall towards his sisters room. There were a few Blades standing outside the room, trying to see in. Kolvian pushed passed them and slammed the door behind him as he heard his sister hiss in pain and sob with joy as a sharp loud crying filled the room. Ulaz made quick work of cleaning the kit up and smiled handing the tiny girl to her mother. She was so small, a tuft of black head fur blending well with the purple of her ears, which were almost to large for her head. The purple didn’t cover her though, instead there were splotches of purple, like splattered paint across the kits mostly pink skin. Her eyes blinked open and Kolvian smiled at the pure gold eyes that were nearly identical to her mothers. Krolia smiled as tears spilled out of her eyes. Kolvan spoke, his voice rough.

“She needs a name.” Krolia nodded at her brother reaching out a hand to take his.

“Kathy, Kathy Kogane.” Kolvian raised an eyebrow. Krolia smiled brushing the black head fur gently with her fingers. 

“Her father’s world gives their people two names one for family, one for the individual. His family name was Kogane.” Kolvian nodded solemnly. She didn’t say another word, instead purring and focusing on feeding her hungry kit. Kolvian smiled. The blades had a new young member.


	2. The Gift Of The Balmera

The fight was over, the Balmera alive once more thanks to Allura. The battle cruiser had been taken down almost too easily thanks to Voltron and everything was happy. Balmerans surrounded the Paladins cheering and celebrating as they looked out over the mostly healed landscape, the creature robeasts Ulaz used to call them, things created out of druids tampering with nature and experimenting with quintessence, was frozen in a solid block of crystal. All the other paladins had taken off their helmets but Kathy was reluctant, she had the sun visor up so the Balmerans couldn’t see her face. Lance frowned at that and sidled over to her. He swung an arm around her shoulder. 

“Hey Kit Kat, what’s with the dark screen, it’s party time! We beat the baddies, the Balmera is gonna be ok!” Kathy smiled slightly at Lance, even though he couldn’t see her. The impetuous pilot was quite sweet when he wanted to be. But she shook her head and spoke quietly, hoping the Balmerans wouldn’t hear her. 

“I don’t wanna scare anybody. These people just got free of the Galra they don’t need to see another one so soon.” Lance frowned but nodded, he understood her reasoning even if he didn’t agree with it. 

“But I mean you helped save the Balmera, I don’t think they’re gonna be afraid of you.” Kathy frowned and Lance gently turned her to face him. He didn’t care that the other paladins were starting to take notice. 

“You don’t have to hide anymore Kathy. I promise. You can just be you, you’re safe with us.” Allura smiled and saw Shiro beaming at the pair as Shay and Hunk snuck off together. Kathy took a deep breath. Then to Lance’s surprise she nodded and reached up removing her helmet entirely. A murmur ran through the crowd of Balmerans before one of them, Shay’s grandmother Lance thought, stepped forwards and reached out a hand to Kathy with a warm smile. 

“Thank you for your help saving our Balmera.” Kathy’s smile was small but Lance called it a victory anyway. Later that day the Balmerans were celebrating on the surface of their world for the first time in generations and they invited the paladins to come join them. With a little cajoling, mostly on Hunks part, Allura agreed that jumping in her weakened state was a bad idea so they stayed for the celebration. It wasn’t a parade like Lance had hoped but instead a dance around a large bonfire as food was passed around and stories of the battle were told. Kathy stepped over to Coran and spoke, a cup of something the Balmerans called life liquid in her hands, it didn’t taste all that different to water but she had gratefully accepted it anyway. She was kind of stunned that they weren’t scared of her, she had fully expected to be sitting out whatever celebration there was in the castle, probably curled up in Red. But she was happy that they weren’t scared of her and instead welcomed her as much as they did the other Paladins. 

“Coran?” The adviser turned to her with a smile and nodded to the red paladin. 

“What can I do for you number four?” Kathy smiled at him slightly before she frowned again slightly. 

“I was wondering about the ceremony Allura preformed to rejuvenate the Balmera. Could anyone do that?” Coran shrugged. 

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen anyone but an Altean do that ritual, but anyone can communicate with a Balmera and trade some energy for a crystal. But rejuvenating a Balmera to the level Allura did is dangerous, I…” The advisor paused slightly before sighing and looking serious. 

“Just between us, I advised against it. I wasn’t sure she would survive.” Kathy nodded. She could understand that she supposed as she sipped her drink. Then again until a few movements ago Knowledge or Death had been her motto. She took a sip of her drink again and sighed slightly looking around. The same older Balmeran who had so warmly greeted her before walked up to her again a bowl in her hand. She smiled and offered it to Kathy who warmly accepted and sat down with the old woman. The woman smiled at her as they ate in silence. Finally Kathy couldn’t hold her curiosity anymore. 

“Ummm. I was wondering, why you weren’t afraid of me… I’m not saying you should be it’s just almost everyone is.” The old woman nodded. 

“You are not a Galra like the rest. You have proved to us, to the Balmera that you are a good person, here to help.” The old Balmeran smiled as the sun began to rise over the horizon. Kathy smiled to herself too, maybe staying hadn’t been a bad idea.


	3. Stranded

Kathy screamed as the castle shook and she felt Red’s feet leave the ground without either of their input. She could hear Shiro crying out too as both the Red and Black lions were swept out of the castle into the corrupted wormhole. She heard Lance cry out their names before they passed into the wall of the wormhole. Kathy screamed barely aware of Shiro doing the same as blue and red electricity coursed through her lion and into her. She blacked out as she made out the blurry outline of a grey planet. She didn’t feel them crash miles apart.

She had no idea how long it took her to wake up. But when she did she groaned. Her head hurt, like all the blood had rushed to it. Then she realized she was upside down, still strapped in to her chair. She swore slightly as she tried to unbuckle herself but couldn’t get it unjammed so she let herself shift into her full Galra form and sliced through the strap with her claws, she didn’t want to risk cutting herself on her sword. She dropped down to the space where her console normally appeared. She rubbed her head as her ears twitched under her helmet. 

“Red? You ok?” She could still feel the presence of the Red lion at the back of her mind but she felt exhausted, almost as tired as her paladin. But Kathy didn’t have time to be tired. Her suit was damaged, from her fight with the druid, luckily by some miracle she’d made it out alive. She was so sure they were done for when the shield had gone up around the entire station. But it had gone down almost as quickly. She had an idea about that but she needed to know where she was first. She reached out again with her mind to the Red Lion. 

“Is it ok for me to be outside with my suit damaged?” When she got the go ahead from the lion, in the form of the exit at the top of the lions head opening, she scrambled out of the lion and patted her on the nose. 

“Alright girl, you rest. I need to see if I can’t figure out where we are, see if anyone else is here.” The lion almost seemed to nod before she felt the presence in her mind fade, not entirely but it was as if the lion had fallen asleep. She sighed and spoke.

“Hello? Shiro? Lance? Hunk? Pidge? Anybody?” Echoing silence came back to her. She knew how to handle being on her own. She was good at it but the silence ate at her as she began to scout the area, trying to see if anyone else was nearby, and gather supplies as she did. The most important at the moment was water, drinkable water. She had wandered about fifty feet away from the lion when her helmet started picking up a staticy call. She set off at top speed in the direction of the call. As she got closer the call got less staticy. She heard a voice she was elated to hear. 

“This is Shiro, calling anyone… Anybody there?” Kathy didn’t stop running but she spoke.

“Shiro!” A sigh of relief sounded over the com system. 

“Oh thank god. For a second there I thought I was alone. Good to hear a friendly voice Kat.” Kat smiled to herself as her com system finally synced with the targeting system in her helmet, some of the wires must have come loose when she and Red crashed.

“Likewise Shiro. You alright?” There was a dry chuckle. 

“Yeah. Takes more than a drop from the upper atmosphere into a hard pan surface at what I’m guessing was about twenty five meters per second squared and a glowing alien wound to keep me down. How are you?” Kathy’s steps faltered then she was running faster. 

“Did you say glowing?” Shiro hummed an affirmative, Kathy swore in Galran. 

“Why is that worse than it seems?” Shiro sounded almost resigned, and very, very tired. 

“It’s pretty bad. Do not fall asleep! Red’s busted, I think she’ll be ok but I’m headed your way. If you’re not in Black try to get back to her. But you need to keep talking. You need to stay awake.” Shiro sounded like he was smiling slightly even if it sounded like it hurt to talk.

“Careful, you might start to scare me talking like that.” Kathy scoffed slightly as she reached a cliff and paused to take stock. 

“I’m not trying to scare you, I’m trying to keep you alive. A wound like that needs to be treated as quickly as possible.” Shiro grunted and Kathy pulled her Bayard. 

“Yeah, I kinda figured. Um, could you maybe step on it?” Kathy frowned, she was getting better at earth sayings but this one wasn’t familiar.

“Step on?” But she didn’t get any farther as Shiro cried out. 

“Shiro!” Kathy shouted. Shiro groaned. 

“I’ve got company. I think I’m safe for the moment but I can’t get back to the Black Lion.” Kathy swore. She thought for a second before kicking the ground in frustration the rocks cracked and a geyser of water poured forth, steaming with heat and smelling of salt. Kathy smiled and summoned her Bayard.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes, if this works.” Shiro sounded like he was frowning.

“If it doesn’t?” Kathy peeked over the edge of the ravine.

“I plummet maybe two hundred feet with nearly no fuel in my jet pack.” Before Shiro could do more than groan out a slight protest Kathy stepped up to the edge of the cliff and slashed into the rock around her. The water poured forth and blasted the piece of rock she was standing on out over the ravine. She screamed as the rock crumbled under her feet and her pack tried to shoot her forwards. She just managed to drive her sword into the rocks before she would have plummeted to her death. Red made a noise of protest at the back of her mind but she shook it off letting her claws slip out again and digging them into the soft rock of the wall. 

“Kathy, please tell me you didn’t just die. Lance would kill me if you died.” Kathy let out a breathless laugh as she let her Bayard shrink back into its inert form and then slipped it back into its holster holding onto the rockface with nothing but her claws on one hand for a moment before beginning to climb. 

“Nope, still kicking, haven’t climbed like this in a while. What about you? How big is this company you mentioned?” Shiro groaned and Kathy thought she heard rocks shifting.

“Shiro?” No answer. Kathy swore in Galran again as she scaled the cliff as panic grabbed her heart. She raced across the cliff and down into a crater where in rested the Black Lion. She looked around, she didn’t see any sign of Shiro. He still wasn’t responding to his coms. She turned to the Black Lion. Unlike Red, Black was sitting up much like the lions did in their bays at the castle. Shiro’s voice crackled over the coms again, he was screaming.

“I know I’m not your paladin but Shiro needs our help! Please!” It took a moment but the eyes of the Black Lion lit up and it bowed to her letting her board it. They flew directly to Shiro landing over him as the Black Lion roared and the creatures scattered. Kathy raced out of the Black Lion pulling Shiro up. 

“We need to get you out of here now!” She picked Shiro up and carried him into the Black Lion before flying over to where the Red Lion was still laying. Shiro was staring at Kathy from his spot in her lap. She picked him up and took him out of the lion when they landed.

“Wait here.” She slipped into the Red lion and grabbed the med kit from behind her chair. She hopped back out and patted Red on the nose. Then she stepped over to Shiro. Kneeling down next to him she pulled out some bandages and dug around looking for a scalpel but couldn’t find one. She swore to herself as she pulled her Blade, leaving it in its dagger form for now.

“Not gonna lie, this is gonna hurt a lot.” Shiro nodded and raised an eyebrow at her when she held out a strip of bandage to him. It was folded over several times making it quite thick. 

“Bite down on this.” Shiro opened his mouth and bit down on the bandage. Kathy whispered an apology and sliced into Shiro’s wound pressing hard. He grunted in pain around the bandage but she wasn’t paying attention. She was watching the glow drain out of the cut she’d sliced into. She did the same thing to the second cut before bandaging his wounds and apologizing profusely as she helped him take the bandage out of his mouth. 

“Why was that necessary?” Kathy sat down with a sigh.

“The wound was contaminated, something about the druids is wrong. My uncle used to tell me how bad wounds they inflict could get. How sometimes if their poison stayed in the body it could infect the mind. Better safe than sorry.” Shiro nodded shuddering at the thought of Haggar poking around in his brain. He smiled at her. 

“You really are the most street smart out of all of us.” He groaned in pain again, before he kept talking. He was feeling very lightheaded. 

“That’s why if anything happens to me I want you to lead Voltron.” Kathy stared at him for a second before bursting out laughing. 

“And they say Lance is the funny one.” Shiro shook his head and pulled himself up into more of a sitting position. 

“I’m serious. If something happens to me, you should lead Voltron. You know the most about what we’re fighting. Allura and Coran know basics but you’ve been out there fighting for years. You know what it’s like on the ground. You know how to teach fighting skills. We just gotta work on those diplomatic skills.” Kathy sighed and pulled off her helmet letting her ears out to twitch in the salt filled breeze. 

“Yeah, cause the universe wants a Galra in charge of Voltron.” Shiro frowned. 

“You’re more than just a Galra, you’re my friend. You’re a Paladin of Voltron. You are an amazing fighter. You’d make a fantastic leader.” Kathy set down her helmet and shook her head. 

“I don’t know why we’re even talking about this. You’re not gonna die. I’m not gonna let you die here Shiro.” She stood before Shiro could speak Her ears were twitching and her tail was swishing in the way that meant she was upset. 

“I’m gonna see if I can’t find something to burn for a fire. We need to keep you warm. The lions will let me know if you’re in trouble.” Without another word she stalked off. Shiro frowned, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d pushed a button he shouldn’t have.


	4. Information Sharing

Coran was fiddling with his station late one night cycle on board the castle. It was a few days since they had left the Balmera. They had left a signal with Shay and her people just like they had on Arus and jumped out of the sector. Allura was resting as they prepped for another jump. Coran turned at the soft tapping of footsteps in soft shoes. He smiled as Kathy made her way onto the bridge. She was in the red robe Allura had given her, along with the matching slippers. He didn’t see her in them often. She was also wearing one of the Princess’s spare sleeping outfits. Allura had insisted on sharing clothes with the half Galra girl when Pidge had proved too small to fit any of them. Kathy had protested but been unable to stop Allura from slipping some of her things into her room while the paladin was out training. Coran had a sneaking suspicion that Allura was doing this mostly out of guilt for how she’d treated the red Paladin when she’d first arrived at the castle, but whatever meant they were getting along was fine with him. She smiled at him and sat down in her chair on the deck, but didn’t activate her console. Coran stepped over to her. 

“What’s on your mind number four?” Kathy uncurled herself slightly from where she was sitting and sighed. 

“Too much Coran.” That was true, ever since they had left Arus Kathy’s mind had been working at a breakneck pace. Everything she knew about Zarkon's Empire was running through her head ad nauseum. Everything they might need to know to survive. Everything that was safe to share. But she hadn’t had a chance to share any of it, they’d been so busy, saving the Balmera, dealing with Rolo and Nyma, and the corruption left behind by the crystal Sendak had used, the loss of King Alfor. Then there was all the information she wanted to know. Earth, her fathers home world. There were three people on board this ship who could tell her so much about her father’s home world. But she hadn’t had the courage to actually ask about it. Coran smiled at her, he seemed to realize that she was torn inside. So he sat in front of her on the floor and pulled up a map. 

“I was actually going to ask for your help. We have some basic knowledge about what the Empire has taken over in the past ten thousand years but we don’t know much besides that. I was hoping you would be able to help with that.” Kathy nodded focusing on the map in front of her. 

“The center of the empire isn’t there, not for about two thousand years.” She said pointing at the bright marker on the map.

“Zarkon had it moved to this system. No one knows why, there have been rumors, they’re using the planets for some kind of experiments. Not much there honestly, not sure what kind of experiments they could be doing, not sure I really want to know.” She tapped her chin as Coran moved the marker. She circled an area of space far outside the center of the Empire. 

“This was Sendak’s, not sure who will take over the area now. Another of his generals but the question remains which one.” She circled another area, on the other side of the center of the Empire. “This one was handed over to a general Prorock, a few years back. Mostly mining colonies and worker worlds, slave worlds. Nothing the Empire considers important. Prorock doesn’t even actually command from there, he lives on the Central Ship, Zarkons ship, here.” Kathy pointed. They continued this way for quite some time, Coran never asked how she’d come by this information, just dutifully marked it down with a slight smile. After about two hours Kathy paused. 

“That’s all I know. All the information I had before I was sent to Sendak’s ship.” Coran nodded and closed the map. 

“That’s quite a lot of information. I’m surprised anyone can remember all of that off the top of their head.” Kathy’s smile was brimming with nostalgia. 

“My uncle, when I was younger, he used to make me memorize maps. He’d quiz me and if I remembered everything I got this fruit, they were rare but he had a tiny tree in his quarters where he would grow them. Goligi berries he called them, they were sweet and bright red, they always stained my mouth. My other uncles weren’t big on giving out sweets, they all showed their affection in different ways but that was always my favorite exercise.” Coran smiled. Kathy wasn’t big on talking about her family, or her past. He could tell it had taken a lot for her to tell him that. He laid a hand on her shoulder. She sighed. 

“I hope they know I’m alive. I hope they’re proud of me.” She looked him straight in the eyes her bright gold eyes glowing slightly. 

“I would be if I was your uncle. I am proud of you.” Her smile grew more genuinely happy and she lunged forwards and hugged him. He smiled and hugged her back. He felt her yawn and patted her on her head.

“Get to bed number four. Can’t have you being too tired if we end up in a fight.” She smiled at him again and nodded. He shooed her off to bed and she left. He could tell she felt a little better, more useful. He smiled at the mice, perched on his console. 

“We should get back to work, shouldn’t we?” They chirped at him and spun in circles.


	5. The Blue World

Kathy was heading back to her room from the training room where she’d been duking it out with the training bot for a while when she heard someone sobbing. She turned, running the towel through her hair, ridding it of sweat as she stepped quietly towards the sound. She stepped up to an open doorway in complete silence, she was good at moving without being noticed. A large hologram was being projected in the middle of the room. A planet spinning quietly in space, a lone moon slowly circling it as continents lazily made their way past the lone figure sitting in a puddle of blankets on the floor in front of the hologram. She was going to leave, she knew she would want to be alone with her tears if it were her, but it wasn’t and something in her told her to stay, to help. 

So instead of leaving she crept into the room, still silent as a shadow. She finally recognized the figure and felt a tug at her heartstrings. It was Lance, staring up at the hologram, tears spilling down his face. She knew that look, she’d often worn it when she was younger, the ripe old age of twelve, sent off with one of her uncles on an information gathering mission, unsure she would ever see home again, not sure it would even be there when she got back. Homesickness. She stepped forwards again this time letting herself make the barest of noises. Lance started looking around scrubbing at his face, he tried to smile. 

“Kathy! I thought you were in the training room.” He reached forwards to turn off the hologram but Kathy put her hand on his, stopping him. Instead of paying attention to his tears she looked at the world he’d been watching. 

“It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen it before.” Her diverted attention allowed Lance to clean off his tears to his satisfaction. He smiled slightly. 

“I didn’t know you were interested in Earth.” Kathy’s smile was melancholy. Of course Lance wouldn’t remember he’d been in a healing pod.

“According to the computers, my father was from Earth.” Lance stared at her for a moment then laughed slightly. 

“Seriously?” She nodded, eyes still on the planet. That sobered Lance up slightly. 

“Did you know?” Kathy shook her head.

“No. I never knew much about my father. My mother went out on a mission when I was about a year old and never came back. All I have left of her is a knife. She brought one thing back from my father’s world.” Kathy said fingering her red white and yellow half jacket. “My uncles say that she said it belonged to him when he was young. It’s all I have of his world.” Lance leaned forwards. 

“Can I see?” Kathy nodded shrugging off her jacket and handing it to him. He looked at the worn and nearly unreadable tag that still rested at the neck. He faintly made out the words, ‘Made In China.’ He laughed, handing her back her jacket. She folded it in her lap and finally made eye contact with him. 

“Will you tell me about it? About Earth?” Lance smiled and nodded. 

“Well I’m from a place called Cuba.” 

 

It was dinnertime and no one could seem to find Lance or Kathy. Shiro frowned and set out in search for them, food goo might taste the same hot or cold but still it was odd for the half Galra to not be on time for something. He had passed the training room, empty of its usual occupant. He was beginning to get concerned when he heard a familiar laugh waft through an open side door. He peeked into the room and saw Lance gesturing widely. 

“You seriously can’t have never been to a beach!” Kathy snorted. 

“Of course I’ve been to a beach, just not a blue one. And I really don’t understand this whole surfing concept. What is the point of riding a wave on a board that cannot support one long distance?” Lance laughed. 

“The point is fun, the rush of adrenaline you get from surviving riding a wave that’s a hundred feet high. Then drinking something sweet out of a coconut with an umbrella in it.” Kathy nodded slightly she could understand that. 

“Ok but what is a coconut? And why would you put an umbrella in one?” Lance grinned and began to describe various Earth beverages. Shiro slipped off, they would show up at dinner sooner or later, it sounded like Lance was having a blast describing Earth to their friend, maybe that’s what they both needed right now. Lance had been missing home for some time and Kathy had clearly not known how to ask about a home she’d never had, it was a hell of a compromise and good for both of them. He whistled to himself as he walked away.


	6. Sickness

Ulaz was honestly surprised it had never happened before. Half breeds tended to be weak, especially when they were young. If they survived to adulthood they had to be strong. Kathy was nothing if not strong. She had passed the trials of Marmora after all. She was strong, but sickness could catch anyone, he just wished she wasn’t so prideful that she couldn’t tell him. Kolvian had approached him and asked him to look her over, that she’d been coughing after the last mission she’d been on. She’d been stationed for recon on one of the mining worlds on the edge of the empire. She had been doing so well over the last deca-phebe, since she passed the trials. He walked into the training room and spotted that the flight simulator was in use, he had a feeling he knew who was in it too. 

He tapped on the front of the small pod but there was no answer. So he keyed in his medical override. The pod stopped humming and there was a curse from inside followed by a cough. He tapped on the pod again and this time it opened, though it took a minute. Kathy peeked out. Her normally pale purple speckled face was red across the cheeks, nose and forehead. There was a sheen across her skin that told him immediately she was sweating. He sighed. 

“Kittling.” She pouted trying to hide a cough behind her hands. He reached out and bushed her black headfur back, gently scratching a finger behind her ear which twitched. She leaned into his hand slightly and he felt the heat radiating from her head. 

“Come on Kittling, you need to go to the infirmary.” Kathy shook her head. 

“No. I don’t need the infirmary. I’m fine.” Ulaz shook his head. 

“No Kittling, you’re not fine, you’re running a temperature. I need to make sure you’re going to be alright. Come on Kittling.” Kathy resisted for another minute before letting Ulaz lead her away to the infirmary. He had her change into some sleep clothes and did a full physical. 

“It’s a simple upper respiratory infection. Nothing some time in a healing pod wont fix, come on Kittling.” Kathy nodded and changed into the pod suit. He carefully wiped her face of sweat before gesturing her into the pod. She nodded and slowly slipped into the pod. He ruffled her headfur one last time before closing the pod and starting the cycle. 

 

Thace made his way down to the infirmary later that day. Kathy hadn’t been at training which was practically unheard of, she was always training, she put in nearly as many hours as Kolvian did. He was worried but he never let it show as he stepped into the room. He spotted Ulaz working on something on a data pad. He smiled at Thace and gestured to the pod where the Kittling was still in a healing cycle. Thace frowned stepping over to the pod to check the readout. 

“So she’ll be alright?” Ulaz nodded glancing back up.

“She’s going to be fine. If her lungs were weaker I’d be worried but she’s strong like her mother. She caught a minor upper respiratory infection on the mining planet she was last assigned to, but she’ll be fine.” Thace nodded and laid a hand on Ulaz’s shoulder. 

“Thank you.” Ulaz smiled and nodded. 

“Of course, she’s stubborn, I can’t imagine where she learned that from.” Thace allowed himself a smile. 

“Yes I can’t pick which of the men who raised her she learned that from. Or maybe Regis is rubbing off on her.” Ulaz let out a laugh. The two half breeds had been stuck together like glue every time they were on the same station. Ulaz half expected the boy to show up here any minute. Still it was good she had friends, people she could rely on. Thace left and Ulaz glanced over at the pod before going back to his data pad.


	7. A Chance Encounter, A New Obsession

The market was packed, as they knew it would be. Despite being on the very edge of the Empire, and not yet under Zarkon’s control yet, the people of this world were renowned traders and surprisingly passive about everything else. None of them really seemed to care about the encroaching Galra Empire as long as nothing got in the way of their trading. It was what made this world such an excellent meeting place. It was out of the way, there were no sentries on the world for a while yet and as long as you weren’t getting in the way of their business no one cared what you were doing. Yet they still had to be careful, Kolvian had caught wind of a rumor that there was an important Galra on the planet. His source hadn’t said who it was, but it had to be someone higher up if he was this worried about it. None of them had their armor on, it would have been too conspicuous here. But each of them was armed with their Luxite blades, tucked carefully out of sight, the Mamorian symbol wrapped in different fabric. Kolvian handed Kathy a small bag of GAC. 

“Spend it wisely Kittling. Be back at the ship in six vargas. You remember the rule?” Kathy nodded. 

“Be on time or find your own way home.” Kolivan nodded slightly. 

“Alright, be on your guard Kittling. And remember six vargas.” Kathy nodded and Kolivan gripped her shoulder for a moment. He nodded again and let her go, motioning her off towards the market. Kathy grinned waving at Thace and Ulaz as she raced out into the crowd. She was in her full shift, looking for all the world like a full blooded female Galra. Perhaps that had been a bad idea. She only realized this as she wandered the market feeling eyes never leaving the back of her head. She paused at a few stalls until one caught her eye. They had an extensive collection of knives and swords. Her eyes flicked around still searching the area for the person spying on her. She might have thought it was Thace or Ulaz, both were very protective of her, but both were needed at this meeting. Kathy was just there for backup, and to cause a distraction if need be. She was certain it wouldn’t be, she was nearly positive Kolvian had just wanted to get herb out of the base for a while. She scanned the merchandise in the stall and smiled slightly as she spotted a small intricately handled dagger. The shop keep, a tall red man with four arm and four glowing gold eyes stepped over to her, smiling. 

“I see you’ve found something you like there.” Kathy nodded. 

“How much do you want for it?” She knew these people liked to haggle so she wasn’t surprised when the price he suggested was more than the blade was worth. She spent a few vargas haggling before he relented to her price. He slid the dagger into its sheath with one hand as he took the GAC with another. He handed the dagger over to her and smiled. 

“Lovely doing business with you ma’am.” Kathy smiled at him slightly and took the dagger. She stepped away from the stall and made her way to a long line of food stalls. Feigning interest in a nearby stall she finally caught a glimpse of her pursuer. He was tall with purple skin and bright silvery hair. He was dressed in armor, it was a wonder she hadn’t spotted him before. He stuck out like a sore thumb. So did his companion who wore similar armor to the man but in darker shades. The crowd seemed to part before the man as the woman at his side glared at anyone who dared get to close to the man. Katy frowned slightly, making no motion to show she’d seen her pursuers. Instead she bought a small pendant from the stall she’d been looking at, the better to throw off suspicion, and continued on towards the line of food stalls. 

Despite the feel of eyes still on her she didn’t feel like this man was an immediate threat. She bought one of this worlds culinary creations, a small pie filled with meat and savory fruits. And continued to wander the market. She still had a few dobashes until she needed to return to the ship. She was paying so much attention to the man following her she didn’t see the attack coming.

As she passed a dark alley a large orange hand reached out and yanked her nearly off her feet. She landed heavily in the ally but on her feet. For one heart stopping moment she was afraid someone had recognized her from one of her only other missions. But then the large orange alien spoke.

“So this is what a Galra bitch looks like. Wonder what they feel like aye boys?” There were five other people in the alleyway, each dressed in rags and heavily scarred. She smiled slightly, if they wanted to harm her they should have brought more men. She pulled her new dagger out of its sheath and lunged as a loud scream came from one of the men at the entrance of the alley.

Kathy didn’t look towards the alley, she was a bit busy dealing with the three men who had lunged at her as she sliced into the arm of the orange one. There were sounds of a fight going on behind her but she ignored it instead focusing on kicking one of the men in the throat. He dropped coughing heavily. One down. She whirled, catching the last mans blade on her own. Then she quickly stepped inside his guard and slammed her palm into the sternum of the man. He squawked in pain as the crack of bone echoed around the alley. Kathy managed to duck as the orange man swiped a dagger at her. She didn’t quite make it out of the way though. His knife nicked her ear slightly as she drove her foot into his leg, shattering the bone. He dropped and she whirled ready to deal with the other three men. But she didn’t have to. 

All of the other men were unconscious, each of them with a few cuts and many bruises. Kathy blinked slightly at the man who had been following her as he stepped forwards slightly. 

“Are you alright miss? You’re bleeding.” She reached up and touched her cheek. Truth be told she was better at fighting than any average non military trained Galra woman. She could easily have avoided the slice but she hadn’t because she had known that whoever was coming into the alley wasn’t one of the other Blades. The Blades wouldn’t have shouted, it let the enemy know where you were. The man quickly cleaned multicolored blood off his knife and tucked it back into its sheath. Slowly he stepped forwards.

“Are you alright?” Kathy nodded. 

“Yes. Thank you, I’m not sure I could have handled them alone.” The man smiled slightly revealing sharp teeth. He couldn’t be the important Galra Kolivan had been worried about, he was a half breed. The Empire didn’t take too kindly to them, only allowing them to work the more menial jobs and none of them were ever in positions of power. He slowly reached out a hand.

“May I?” She nodded slightly. It was what someone not trained to deal with pain would do. She was glad that her clothes covered her scars, though the collar had a difficult time hiding the relatively new scar from when she’d gone through the trials. His touch on her cheek was gentle. He hummed to himself before speaking to his companion.

“Dayak do we have any bandages?” The female Galra searched her bag and pulled out a small first aid kit. She passed it over, never saying a word. It was slightly unnerving as the man opened the kit and carefully placed a bandage around her ear, careful not to catch any of her hair. He stepped back slightly. 

“There, it should heal without much of a scar.” She smiled gratefully despite the niggling feeling that something was wrong. No one had come into the alleyway to find out what all the noise had been. But she pretended not to notice. 

“Thank you.” He nodded.

“Anything for a fellow hybrid.” She blinked at him slightly. If she had been in a different situation she would have feigned disgust but he was a hybrid too and it was very important that she know how he’d figured her out. 

“H… How did you know?” He smiled slightly. 

“The way you carry yourself and that you know how to fight well. Sadly a common occurrence with hybrids like us. The universe tends to shy away from something new. It’s quite the shame. Such a magnificent fighter shouldn’t be wasted.” She blinked at him again as he took her hand and kissed the back of it looking her straight in the eye as she blushed slightly. It wasn’t often she got affection like this. Despite living in the same base as her uncles none of them were very tactile, unless it was training time. 

“May I know your name?” Kathy nodded and spoke again.

“Vexari.” It was one of the alter egos she went by. She didn’t use this one a lot so it would be harder for this man to find her should he go looking. 

“Vexari, that is a beautiful name. Would you allow me to accompany you around the market?” She made a split second decision. 

“I would be very grateful if you would. I have to meet my father in a dobash, but there was a bit more I wanted to look at and I would be grateful of the company after what just happened.” The man nodded and smiled slightly.

“Then please lead the way.” They visited a few more stalls and chatted about the market for a while. It took Kathy some time to find an opportunity to slip away, but she managed it by going to the other side of a heavily decorated booth and slipping into the crowd before the man could even see where she was going. Once she was sure she was out of sight she sighed slightly and quickstepped off towards the landing pad. 

 

Lotor rolled his eyes at Dayak. 

“I think it’s a good idea, talent like hers shouldn’t be wasted.” Dayak nodded slightly.

“I agree with you your highness, but we know nothing about this girl.” Lotor shook his head. 

“We know she’s an incredible fighter. We know she’s merciful, she easily could have killed those men, as my guard will for their crimes. But she didn’t.” Dayak looked over Lotor’s shoulder. 

“My Lord, she also appears to have disappeared.” Lotor spun around quickly and swore. Vexari was nowhere to be seen. He searched for her for nearly a dobash before he gave up. He hoped against hope that she had made it back to her ship unharmed but he would never know. He would no longer be able to come to this planet soon. He was still banished from the empire. He sighed slightly as he boarded his ship. Dayak stared at him for a moment.

“I have no doubt you’ll find her again, if you wish to. You can succeed in anything you do, I have trained you well.” Lotor smiles slightly.

“Thank you Dayak. This encounter has given me an idea though, a squad of female galra, trained to fight any threat.” Dayak smiled at him.

“I think that would be a lovely idea.” They headed off back to his main ship.

 

Kathy shook her head down at the data pad in front of her. Kolivan had set her to review data from several backlogged missions. She knew she was being punished. She had drawn attention, but she also knew that he was doing it because he was worried. She sighed as she reviewed several notes. She had never found out the name of the man who had helped her. It was probably better that way. He had been too charming to be true in his intentions. Besides it wasn’t like she was going to ever see him again.


	8. Prejudice

Kathy knew that it would always be this way. Even if they managed to unseat Zarkon and dissolve the Galra Empire there would be that fear under the skin of every other race in the universe. The fear that the Galra would rise up and take them over again, that everyone with gold eyes and purple skin was evil. That anyone who was even related to the Galra deserved to die. 

She’d told Allura it was a bad idea for her to come down here alone. She’d told her that Zarkon’s troops had wiped out most of the people on this planet when an open rebellion had begun. The people who remained had rejoiced when Voltron and the Castle Ship had shown up and defeated the troop ships that remained around the planet. But her protests had fallen of deaf ears, she needed to work on her people skills, all the paladins needed to be able to be diplomats as well as fighters. Well she’d never had much luck with diplomacy before but usually that meant that she would have to knife someone in the throat but she’d been told to leave her weapons at the castle. She’d protested again but Allura and Coran had insisted on that while the other paladins did a quick search of the surrounding planets for supplies and hidden troop ships. And that was how Kathy ended up stripped of her armor, in a literal dungeon, with no weapons and many a bruise while the residents of this world tried to find a ‘worthy’ paladin for the red lion. 

She couldn’t help but wonder if the others had found something. Most likely they had or they would have wondered where she was by now, not that she would know if they were, the guards had taken her helmet. But she was not expecting a rescue anyway. The Blades, as close as they had been, would have left her behind for something so stupid. Everything on the Castle Ship worked so differently to the Blades, at times like this it was frustrating. At least with the Blades she was sure she’d have to get out on her own. She closed her eyes and reached out for the red lion. She could feel her. The lion was not at all happy. 

She had put her particle barrier back up because the residents of this planet kept trying to present themselves as her Paladin. She already had a Paladin. A paladin who was bruised and kept telling her not to take action against the people of this planet. She let out a frustrated grumble. Kathy heard the door to her cell open and opened her eyes. 

The being before her was tall, dark green skin covered in slightly lighter markings. He wore a badly forged crown and was accompanied by three other men all of whom carried weapons. One carried a long sharp tipped whip, another had a set of knives that he carefully set on a small wooden table. The last one held what was clearly an executioners axe. Kathy refused to let any fear show. The crowned one, she honestly hadn’t bothered to remember his name since the minute she’d taken off her helmet he’d set his guards on her, spoke.

 

“Tell us what you did to force the red lion to be yours and your death will be swift.” Kathy let a small smirk cross her face.

“You can’t force a lion into making a connection.” 

“Liar!” The guard with the whip cracked it across her chest leaving a gash. She refused to even flinch, pushing the pain down, burying it under distain and anger. “A lion of the legendary Voltron would never choose a filthy beast to be its Paladin!” Another crack of the whip, this one across her face, too close to her eyes for comfort. The next blast of pain pulled an unwilling howl from her throat as one of the knives the second guard had been fiddling with flew into her tail, slicing into it. There was a rumble outside but Kathy wasn’t paying attention to it as the whip cracked across her stomach, once, twice, three times.

She didn’t hear the sounds of the other lions landing around the red one, of Shiro demanding to know what was going on. She growled lowly as one of the guards forced her to face the crowned being. 

“Tell us how to make the red lion choose a new Paladin! Now!” Kathy shook her head. There was no way to force a connection to a lion but these people were never going to believe her. The snarl on the man’s face was a twisted desperate thing. He snapped his fingers and the one with the executioners axe stepped forwards. Panic spiked in her mind and she heard a loud cheer from outside. The crowned one smiled. 

“Sounds to me as if the Red Lion has decided it is better off without you. So you officially have no use.” He nodded to the executioner who smiled. As he stepped forwards the whole building shook. Two of the guards fell as a roar shook the walls and stone began to crumble. Kathy was very confused until large metal claws dug their way into the dungeon. The nose of the red lion poked into the room then a loud metallic growl echoed around them as the lion pulled her head up hard and fast taking most of the castle ruins with it. Several figures raced up to the newly made hole in the ground and Kathy spotted all of the other Paladins along with Allura who gasped at the sight before her. Shiro looked practically murderous. Lance leveled his gun at the executioner who’d somehow managed to keep his feet.

“Put down the axe! Now!” The man did not listen, instead deciding to follow his masters orders. He took a swing at Kathy who was chained to the wall unable to move. She closed her eyes waiting for the cool bite of steel, but it never came. Instead there was the sound of a laser blast and a heavy thud. She opened her eyes and blinked. There was a perfect hole between the executioner’s eyes. Shiro appeared at her side, using his Galra arm to yank off the chains. Two more shots were set off from the ridge where the rest of the Paladins stood. Two more loud thumps sounded. Hunk and Lance had taken out the other two guards. The crowned on was shouting but Shiro ignored him as Allura made her way down the newmade crater wall. She looked like she was about to kill the man in front of her. Kathy couldn’t say she’d blame her but she knew it would do nothing to help their mission so as Shiro hauled her past Allura she grabbed her arm. 

“Remember the mission.” Allura looked a little shocked but nodded. Kathy was having problems getting her feet under her, there had to have been something on the whip or the knives that was effecting her balance. She patted red on her leg as Shiro handed her off to Lance so he could head back down and join Allura in verbally tearing into the last man standing. 

“Good kitty.” Lance put away his Bayard and gently guided Kathy into the Blue lion taking off for the castle ship, followed closely by the red lion. Coran was waiting for them and soon Kathy was in a healing pod, blissfully unaware of her surroundings. 

 

 

A few hours later Allura, Shiro, Pidge and Hunk returned to the Castle ship. Allura stormed out of the Black Lion and quickstepped off to her room. She couldn’t let her Paladins see her break down. When she reached her room she flopped down on her bed and screamed into the pillow. She had not expected Kathy to be as accurate as she had been, the woman was overly cautious at the best of times. Allura had not expected one of her Paladins to be punished simply for being what she was. The fear she understood, Quiznack she even understood their hatred. But to attack a diplomatic envoy was something that had been nearly unheard of and would, under more normal circumstances, been a declaration of war. But they could not afford extra hostilities. She and Shiro had done their best to not attack the new made king of the planet, but he would not listen to them, refusing to work with Voltron while ‘That beast’ flew the red lion. Allura was rather amazed that she had kept her cool after that, Shiro had not kept his however. 

 

He had snapped at the man, going just shy of slamming him into a wall to force him to listen. He had detailed everything Kathy had done to help then since he’d met her, including risking her life on multiple occasions to free prisoners from the Galra. In the end though no agreement could be reached and they left the planet to its own devices with no signal to call them. They had refused to take it. Allura took a deep breath, calming her nerves once again. Then she stood, straightened her hair and went to find her Paladins. They were where she expected them to be, sitting around in the med bay watching the ticker on the healing pod containing their injured teammate. She took a deep breath and spoke. 

“So, we will continue on to see if we can help another planet, perhaps we will have more luck with the next one.” Pidge nodded and spoke. 

“Yeah maybe the next one won’t be full of murderous racists.” Lance nodded, Hunk agreeing vehemently. Shiro nodded watching the ticker. Allura smiled, glad they were all on the same page. 

“Get some rest Paladins. Coran, if you wouldn’t mind keeping me updated on Kathy’s condition I will be on the training deck.” Coran smiled and nodded. 

“No problem at all Princess.” He was currently going around making sure the Paladins all had something to eat and drink while they waited. He frowned to himself slightly as he checked over Kathy’s vitals. Lance was the only one who noticed. 

“Everything alright Coran? She’s gonna be ok right?” That caught the other Paladins’ attentions. Coran nodded.

“She’s going to be fine, she’ll be out in a few Dobashes. I have just never been a fan of senseless violence.” They all nodded and turned back to the healing pod. When Kathy did wake up she would be showered with worry and affection and praise for handling the situation well but Shiro for one was going to make sure she knew that her life was just as important as the mission. She was the right arm of Voltron, they would not be able to do this without her.


End file.
